The Murder of Another
by truthorconsequense
Summary: "Under no circumstance will you take that cure Rebekah. I forbid it." The voice of the head of the family, not a brother to his little sister. But if that was what he must be, then he would. He would not lose her too.


They had lost another brother; mere months after Finn had been murdered by Elena Gilbert and her friends in an attempt to kill them all. Once again it had been Elena Gilbert at the forefront of his family's loss. It mattered not what Kol had planned to do to her brother, not when she had planned it all beforehand.

Elijah had once held respect for Elena. He found her bravery admirable. She had placed those she loved above herself, not thinking twice about sacrificing herself for their safety. He had known that she understood his careful wording when he had offered her a deal. She was intelligent and he found himself exercising restraint not to care. It was a common mistake, to care for a Petrova, when she wore that beguiling face. He had cared for Katerina, who had betrayed him and he had loved Tatia, who had died and left him crippled with grief for decades. The wake of their losses had been amongst the darkest hours of his long existence.

He may have been able to prevent himself from caring for Elena Gilbert, but he had respected her. He had thought she understood the meaning of the honour that bound his life into such a complicated knot. He had been wrong.

There was no way that she could have understood honour and done what she had. There was no honour in murdering Kol, even being the vampire that he was. Elena had wanted to kill Kol because it would result in the death of his entire bloodline. Enough vampire s would die to completer Jeremy Gilbert's Hunter's mark and Elena could have her cure… It had been selfishness that had motivated her. There was no honour in that.

Respect had vanished to be replaced with hatred and a burning desire – no - for revenge. He wanted to cause her pain, pain like he felt… he wanted to drag it out before ripping her heart out, as her ancestors had done to him.

The moment had passed, taking the need with it but leaving the hatred behind. The only way to cause Elena Gilbert that pain would be to kill her own brother, a hunter. Niklaus had once unknowingly made that mistake, and Elijah had seen him suffer the curse that it brought. Elijah didn't want to be haunted by his family or Petrovas or any of those he had killed. The list was long now…

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He had not been in the country when Niklaus had called him. He had been London to make a business deal and to make the usual rounds to remind younger vampires of his existence and to keep those who warranted it in check. He had been marvelling at the arrogance of one such vampire when his phone began to ring. He rarely used it, finding the old fashioned use of physical presence much more effective. He owned it so that certain individuals could contact him when necessary. Witches, vampires beholden to him and also his family.

They rarely made contact with each other, the only time that they could ignore their differences was in the face of danger. He had not remained in Mystic Falls after Niklaus had been staked by the hunter. A few days later he had received a message that the gifts of Bonnie Bennet had saved him and that Rebekah's actions had caused Elena's transition into a vampire. To think now the way he had felt that his sister had ended the doppelgänger's life hours after he had promised her the chance to live it out. He had felt, once again, shame and guilt and a deep anger towards Rebekah. He had thought that if one person deserved to live, it had been Elena Gilbert. But that had changed as soon as he heard of Kol.

He had contemplated whether he should answer the call… it would be comparative bliss to not have to hear whatever Niklaus was calling about. It was never good news.

"Kol is dead." There was not greeting, Niklaus' voice was controlled, but Elijah knew it well enough to detect the turmoil. Elijah had no response, and for several seconds there was nothing but silence over the Atlantic connection. Gathering his strength, Elijah uttered a curt response, the quickest way to discover the answers.

"How?"

"Jeremy Gilbert, along with Elena. They set a trap, he was angry…" So Kol's impulsiveness had finally caught up with him.

"Why?"

Jeremy Gilbert had become one of the Five, who had apparently been running around unnoticed since Niklaus had slaughtered the original group in 1114. And if the Five existed, the possibility of a cure for vampirism was once again. A cure for Elena so that Niklaus could continue creating his hybrids. So that Elena could break here sire bond to Damon Salvatore. So that Elena could lead the life she had wanted.

Kol had been against it, terrified that it would lead to the resurrection of Silas, who would unleash his own greatest fears. Elijah had seen the carnage when Kol had slaughtered the witches who worshipped Silas. He too has heard that Silas would unleash hell on earth.

Kol had been about to sever Jeremy's arms when the tables were turned and he was killed as Niklaus stood powerless outside. That had been days ago, but Niklaus had been confined to the Gilbert living room by a full moon spell as the others went chasing after the cure, Rebekah with them. There was only one dose of the cure, Niklaus had told Rebekah and he had heard nothing since then.

"Elijah, come home."

"I am on my way."

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When Elijah arrived in Mystic Falls, Rebekah had returned. The plan was to go to New Orleans and search for Katerina, who had stolen the cure from beneath their noses. Elijah's presence wasn't necessary, but he would go with them. He would not leave what family he had left now.

They would not even bury Kol before they left. They did not know where his body had been taken, they were too late for him now.

Elijah knew that his sister wanted the cure for herself, and he could understand why. They had all sacrificed things to gain immortality, or rather their mother had sacrificed for them. For Rebekah, the benefits of immortality were no longer enticing. She had already experienced over one thousand years of history and culture. She wanted to love and to be loved, by a man who wasn't her brother. As a vampire she had only been betrayed, by both lovers and brothers who left and daggered her. She wanted to be free from her past and become the ordinary girl that she had not finished being.

Elijah understood that, he could even see the appeal of it. It was not as though he had not considered what it would be like to be human again in his thousand years. But unlike Rebekah, he had lost his humanity a long time ago, his personality was too deeply embedded in what he was. His strength, his influence…he had held on to his sense of honour but had compromised it too many times. Humanity would not be worth it for Elijah, but Rebekah it would be everything.

But even as he considered it, Elijah knew that he could not let her go. He had lost almost his entire family now. There were only three of them left and if Rebekah took the cure, she would live perhaps another sixty years. And then it would just be him and Niklaus. The thought alone caused him fear enough to make his heart beat faster as he sat in the passenger seat while Niklaus drove. Rebekah sat in the back seat and if either noticed, they said nothing. An eternity alone with Niklaus…he had faced it once before, when he believed that their family was buried at sea. But he had planned revenge then, he had not once thought of loneliness. But now he did.

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They had arrived in New Orleans. Niklaus had stopped the car and they got out, still in silence. His brother began to walk down the street and Rebekah make to follow him, but Elijah called her back.

"Rebekah, wait." She turned, and looked at him askance. He took a deep breath.

"You want the cure for yourself," he stated. She would not deny it. Her brow creased for a second, but then she looked up at him defiantly.

"Yes, and you know why." Elijah nodded in confirmation and then paused. He could let her…No.

"Under no circumstance will you take that cure Rebekah. I forbid it." The voice of the head of the family, not a brother to his little sister. But if that was what he must be, then he would. He would not lose her too.

His little sister looked up at him, containing her anger but not hiding it, she knew that she was not surprised, he might not be so much of an open book as she was but she knew him well. She knew that he cared, she knew that he loved her too much to let her go.

She turned on her heel and stalked away, she was running for Nik and his comfort. Elijah wondered if she would be disappointed. Trapped in the Gilbert living room, Niklaus may have wanted Rebekah to have the cure. But he no longer had to fear it being used against himself. He too would rather see it destroyed than lose his little sister.

My first attempt at diving into Elijah's head. I find his character extremely interesting, and the actor who plays him rather attractive ;). This was just an idea that popped into my head about one possible way that Elijah could react to recent events, it is nothing more than my interpretation and unfortunately, I don't own any of the characters etc.

Let me know what you think, feedback is really important to me.


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